Middlehood Madness: Inspiring writing

Sometimes it takes guts to inspire writing. Inspiring writing can be a challenge for students who do not want to write.

The added challenge is that technology is not available. I have one working desktop in the classroom for 26 students. Using personal devices are not allowed this year and our laptop cart currently does not have a class set. The other added stress is that there is limited access to the cart. Good ol'fashioned pen and paper.

I decided to be brave. I showed them my own piece of writing that had been published when I had been younger. I shared my personal journal that held the poem that had been published in an actual poetry book.

The notebook only had one poem that had been published but full of other non-published poetry.

I was so nervous to read it out loud. The students listened skeptically. Then I shared with them that I wrote the poem when I was around their age. I told them how it was published. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

That was it! The personal moment with writing. I have not shared personal writing with my students before. It was a hook.

Students were impressed that a teen can be published. It lead to a discussion about how powerful words can be. Words which can be crafted by all people of all ages.

Personal writing lead to a hook for students to write.

What hook do you use to inspire your students to write?

When was the last time you showed your guts to your students?